Practicing professionals need to keep themselves constantly updated and nurse practitioner programs distance learning are designed for such proactive learners. The flexitime programs fit into busy schedules and the nurse can learn at his or her own pace, send assignments via email or receive material through regular mail. The only commitment demanded from the student is a sincerity of purpose and a desire to learn. The student may take up a Family Nurse practitioner course, a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Family nursing course or a Health Care Administration course, depending on the career chalked out by them.

Curriculum

Nurse practitioner programs distance learning prepare the nurse to perform in the expanded role of caring for families and facilitating adaptation in a variety of settings. The area of study is a blend of theory and research with emphasis on guided practice in clinical areas. Most distance learning courses require the student to arrange for their clinical perceptors locally. Though this can be a hassle to the student, it could be advantageous if the student is able to arrange for a perceptor in the work place.

Clinical Nurse specialist courses provide an in-depth clinical preparation module that enables the students to work in staff development and patient education areas. Graduate level courses provide skill levels that are required for nurses who wish to assume leadership roles in complex community settings such as public health departments, school and occupational settings, home health agencies and community oriented clinics.

Universities Offering Nursing Courses

The Frontier School of Midwifery is perhaps one of the oldest nurse practitioner programs distance learning courses in the United States. The course was started in 1939 and was expanded to accommodate several other family nursing practitioner courses in 1970 and 1989. The Graceland University has several nurse practitioner programs distance learning to offer such as RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program, Health Care Administration (HCA), Nursing (RN-BSN/MSN), and Nursing (Graduate). The University of Virginia, College of Nursing offers several courses in Community and Public Health leadership, Geriatric Nursing and Health System Management at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Nursing practitioner programs distance learning are not a new concept to Nursing. However the number and variety of courses available today and the variety of technologies that are used to reach out to the students are wide ranging. Students can specialize or pick up a general course depending on their career options.

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About the Author

Jim Zorn is web master of the Guide to Distance Learning. Please visit to learn more about online colleges and universities, distance learning degrees, majors and courses offered. http://www.guide-to-distance-learning.com/index.html